Receptacle

ABSTRACT

It comprises a substantially elastic lid ( 2 ) of silicone and a substantially rigid base ( 3 ), and includes hermetic sealing means between the lid ( 2 ) and the base ( 3 ), characterized in that said hermetic sealing means include two sealing devices, an inner device with regard to the base ( 3 ), which performs the sealing when the lid ( 2 ) expands due to the heating of the receptacle and an outer device with regard to the base ( 3 ) which performs the sealing when the lid ( 2 ) shrinks due to the cooling of the receptacle. In this way, the hermeticity between the lid ( 2 ) and the base ( 3 ) inside a conventional or microwave oven and freezer or refrigerator is achieved.

[0001] This invention relates to a receptacle for cooking food capableof withstanding both the low temperatures of the freezers and the hightemperatures of the ovens, such as microwave ovens or conventionalovens.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Known in the art are receptacles for cooking food constituted byan upper lid and a base for containing the food, which can bemanufactured in different materials, such as glass or ceramic materialsthat are capable of withstanding high cooking temperatures.

[0003] However, said receptacles do not feature a perfectly hermeticseal between the lid and the base since, when they are inside an ovenduring heating time, the gases given off by the food emerge from thereceptacle, so that the food smell escapes and mixes with the atmosphereinside the oven. This lack of hermetic seal is due to the fact that thelid and the base do not feature a perfect fit.

[0004] Also known in the art are other receptacles for cooking whichcomprise a substantially elastic lid and a substantially rigid base.These receptacles include hermetic sealing means between the lid and thebase, wherein the upper lid is made of a plastic material, such aspolyethylene.

[0005] The aforesaid receptacles permit an hermetic seal, but they havea primary disadvantage insofar as they can not withstand the highcooking temperatures in conventional ovens.

[0006] On the other hand, it is known a receptacle for cooking food,object of German utility model no. 20019325. In said document, areceptacle is disclosed which comprises a substantially elastic lid ofsilicone and a substantially rigid base and includes hermetic sealingmeans between the lid and the base. Said receptacle is capable ofwithstanding both the high cooking temperatures in microwave andconventional ovens and the low temperatures in freezers.

[0007] In practice, it has been proved that in such a receptacle, thesealing effect of the lid is performed only by the outer side of thebase. This may prove inconvenient for an hermetic seal in predeterminedconditions, e.g. when the vapor pressure inside the receptacle issignificant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The object of the receptacle of the invention is to solve thedisadvantages presented by the receptacles known in the art, whileproviding many other advantages that will be described below.

[0009] The receptacle of the invention is of the type which comprises asubstantially elastic lid of silicone and a substantially rigid base andincludes hermetic sealing means between the lid and the base, and ischaracterized in that said hermetic sealing means include two sealingdevices, an inner device with regard to the base, which performs thesealing when the lid expands due to the heating of the receptacle and anouter device with regard to the base which performs the sealing when thelid shrinks due to the cooling of the receptacle, whereby the expansionand shrinkage coefficient of the base is inferior than that of the lid.

[0010] Thanks to these characteristics, an hermetic seal between the lidand the base is achieved, whereby the inner device performs the seal inconventional or microwave ovens and the outer device performs the sealin freezers or refrigerators. In this way, the food inside thereceptacle can be maintained in the same receptacle, which can betransferred directly from the refrigerator or freezer into aconventional or microwave oven, while keeping the hermetic seal. Thus,the mixing of the food smell with the atmosphere from the freezer, ovenor microwave oven is avoided, especially in food having a high fluidity.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, the inner hermeticsealing device comprises a flange which projects inwardly from the lid,said flange pressing against the inner side of the side wall of the basewhen the receptacle is heated. In this way, the expansion of the lidcauses the flange to press against the side wall of the base, thusperforming a tight hermetic seal. Said pressing of the flange againstthe wall is increased by the pressure inside the receptacle when thefood is heated.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the receptacle of the invention,the flange comprises three portions, a first portion, slightly outwardlyangled, a second portion more outwardly angled than the first portionand a third portion, inwardly angled, the base having an upper thickersection and an angled binding surface between the upper section and therest of the base, the first portion of the flange being adapted to theupper section of the base and the second portion of the flange beingadapted to the angled surface, the third portion functioning lever-likeover the rest of the flange when the lid expands.

[0013] Preferably, the outer hermetic sealing device comprises a flangewhich projects inwardly from the lid, said flange pressing against theouter side of the side wall of the base when the receptacle is cooled.Thanks to these characteristics, the shrinkage of the lid causes theflange to press against the side wall of the base, thus performing atight hermetic seal.

[0014] Advantageously, the flange of the lid comprises two portions, asubstantially straight first portion and an outwardly angled secondportion. In this way, the second portion facilitates the fitting of thelid onto the base.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the invention, the flange ofthe inner device of the lid, it projects outwardly at one of its ends toform a lip which presses against the inner face of the side wall of thebase due to the heating of the receptacle.

[0016] Thanks to these characteristics, the hermetic seal of thereceptacle is improved in case the base includes little irregularitiesin the contour of its upper edge, as it happens in receptacles made ofclay or ceramic, whereby said irregularities may have little openings orpassages between the base and the lid through which the air or fluid mayescape. Said improvement is achieved thanks to the substantially elasticlip of the lid, whereby said lip covers the irregularities or strains inthe contour of the upper edge of the base.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, the outer hermeticsealing device comprises a flange constituted by a downwardly angledportion which presses against the outer face of the side wall of thebase due to the cooling of the receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to facilitate the description of all that has been setout above, some drawings are attached in order to show, schematicallyand solely by way of non-restrictive example, a pair of practical casesof embodiment of the receptacle of the invention, in which:

[0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the receptacle of the invention;

[0020]FIG. 2 is a cross-section elevational view in detail of the zoneat which the base of the receptacle fits with the lid of silicone and;

[0021] The FIG. 3 is a cross-section elevational view in detail of theupper lid of the receptacle of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the receptacle 1 for cooking food of theinvention comprises a substantially elastic lid 2 of silicone and asubstantially rigid base 3 which includes hermetic sealing means betweenthe lid 2 and the base 3. Said receptacle is capable of withstandingtemperatures within the range of −40° C. and 260° C. and it can be usedfor cooking food, which can be transferred directly from the freezer orrefrigerator into a conventional or microwave oven.

[0023] Making particular reference to FIG. 2, it can be appreciated thatthe hermetic sealing means are constituted by a first flange 4 whichprojects inwardly from the lid 2, and said flange 4 pressing against theinner side 3 a of the side wall 3 b of the base 3 when the receptacle 1is heated. Said flange 4 comprises three portions, a first portion 4 a,slightly outwardly angled, a second portion 4 b, more outwardly angledthan the first portion 4 a, and a third portion 4 c, inwardly angled,which increases the action of the hermetic seal. The first portion 4 aof the flange is adapted to the upper portion 3 c of the base 3 and thesecond portion 4 b of the flange 4 adapts to the angled surface.

[0024] Furthermore, the hermetic seal comprises a second flange 5projecting inwardly from the lid 2, which presses against the outer wall3 d of the side wall 3 b of the base 3 when the receptacle 1 is cooled.

[0025] A valve 2 may be included on top of the lid 2, said valve beingconstituted by blades which raise when the pressure inside thereceptacle 1 is high. In this way, an excessive deformation of the lid 2at high pressures is avoided, whereby the desired pressure inside thereceptacle 1 is kept.

[0026] In the case where a lid 2 with a significant diameter is used,there exists the possibility of including ribs in said lid 2 tofacilitate its removal by the user while guaranteeing an optimalhermetic seal.

[0027] In the FIG. 3, another embodiment of a lid 6 of the receptacle 1of the invention is shown. In said figure, it can be appreciated thatthe inner device is constituted by a first flange 7 which projectsinwardly from the lid 6, said flange 7 projecting outwardly on one ofits ends to form a lip 8 running upwardly, said lid pressing against theinner face of the side wall of the base when the receptacle is heated.In this way, a perfectly hermetic seal is achieved in receptacles of anymaterial, even in case they include little irregularities in the upperedge of their base which may arise during the manufacturing.

[0028] On the other hand, the hermetic seal of the lid 6 also comprisesthe outer device constituted by a second flange 9 which projectsinwardly from the lid 6, said flange 9 pressing against the outer faceof the side wall of the base when the receptacle is cooled. Said flange9 is formed by a downwardly angled portion.

[0029] Independent of the object of this invention are the materialsused for manufacturing the pieces that make up the receptacle described,and the shapes and dimensions of the same and all accessory details thatmight be included, which can be replaced by others that are technicallyequivalent as long as they do not affect its essential nature or departfrom the sphere defined by the claims attached below.

1. Receptacle which comprises a substantially elastic lid of siliconeand a substantially rigid base (3), and includes hermetic sealing meansbetween the lid (2) and the base, characterized in that said hermeticsealing means include two sealing devices, an inner device with regardto the base, which performs the sealing when the lid expands due to theheating of the receptacle and an outer device with regard to the basewhich performs the sealing when the lid shrinks due to the cooling ofthe receptacle, whereby the expansion and shrinkage coefficient of thebase is inferior than that of the lid.
 2. Receptacle as claimed in claim1, characterized in that the inner hermetic sealing device comprises aflange which projects inwardly from the lid, said flange pressingagainst the inner side of the side wall of the base when the receptacleis heated.
 3. Receptacle as claimed in claim 2, characterized in thatthe flange comprises three portions, a first portion, slightly outwardlyangled, a second portion more outwardly angled than the first portionand a third portion, inwardly angled, the base having an upper thickersection and an angled binding surface between the upper section and therest of the base, the first portion of the flange being adapted to theupper section of the base and the second portion of the flange beingadapted to the angled surface, the third portion functioning lever-likeover the rest of the flange when the lid expands.
 4. Receptacle asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that the outer hermetic sealingdevice comprises a flange which projects inwardly from the lid, saidflange pressing against the outer side of the side wall of the base whenthe receptacle is cooled.
 5. Receptacle as claimed in claim 4,characterized in that the flange comprises two portions, a substantiallystraight first portion and an outwardly angled second portion. 6.Receptacle as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said flangeprojects outwardly at one of its ends to form a lip which pressesagainst the inner face of the side wall of the base due to the heatingof the receptacle.
 7. Receptacle as claimed in claim 6, characterized inthat the outer hermetic sealing device comprises a flange constituted bya downwardly angled portion which presses against the outer face of theside wall of the base due to the cooling of the receptacle.